22 Oct Transform Conference: Ignite

One of the topics presented at the Transform conference was titled “Ignite”. This session was presented by three different community members: Bobbie Gostout, Anne Fishel, Robert Stains and David Harozdovsky .The purpose of the presentations was to show how healthcare would become more successful with new approaches. Each presentation introduced ideas on how we can improve healthcare in all people, from the adolescent to the elderly.

Bobbie Gostout was the first to enter the stage. She presented the “OB Nest Project.” This project would help pregnant mothers stop taking unnecessary trips to see their physicians. Many times expecting mothers are spending a great amount of time driving and waiting to see the physician only to be rushed during their appointment. The “OB Nest Project” is being developed to eliminate these unnecessary trips. The patient would connect with her physicians over Skype, forums, and text messages. Also, there would be a nurse hotline available at all hours of the day. Many mothers go to the physician’s office simply for comfort, even when no medical attention is needed. They want to hear the heartbeats of their children and be told that everything is going well for them. This treatment can be provided in a more effective way through the utilization of modern technology.

Next on stage was Anne Fishel and Robert Stains. Together they presented “The Family Dinner Project”. Many families are not connecting with one another during the day and do not take the time to sit down with one another during meals. This project is designed to work within the community to host a four week program that teaches families the importance of family dinners and ways to get the whole family involved in making dinner. Family dinners would lower the risk of teenage pregnancies, drugs, and violence. It would also help children aid in the cognitive development by boosting their vocabulary, table manners, and health benefits from eating a more nutritious dinner. Their message addressed the importance of family dinners and how they play a role in overall health of all family members.

The CEO of The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society, David Horazdovsky, stressed the importance of supporting the older generations. He created a great visual about his experience in caring for his family. The role of the society is to support the elderly and their families. If we were to start caring for all people at an earlier age and provide them with their health and care needs, we would reduce health care costs, prevent future complications, and improve overall health. Horazdovsky presented the audience with a great way to view how we should care for our elderly; he said “We can’t lead them; we need to walk with them”. This approach created a visual model of how the care of the elderly should be and how we need to use this approach before it is too late.

It is so important to reach out within the community to obtain other ideas to help improve the health and care of our community members. The first project showed how important it is to stay connected with the health care providers, but it can be done with modern technology. Families need to stay connected with one another by communicating amongst one another; this improves their health physically and cognitively. Lastly, health and care start before a person enters the world and this continues on until he or she is no longer here. Each stage of life is equally important and if we improve our daily lives and work together we will be able to translate this idea of health and care into our daily lives.